title: Anticonvulsant and anxiolytic activity of the peptide fraction isolated from the venom of the social wasp Polybia paulista.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Arthropod venoms have attracted interest because they represent a source of neuroactive compounds that can be useful tools in neuroscience and pharmacological investigations.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of the present work was to evaluate the anticonvulsant, anxiolytic, and behavioral effects of the peptide fraction separated from venom of the social wasp.
  
  
  METHODS
  The low- molecular-weight compounds of the venom were separated by ultrafiltration and the bioassays were performed to test anticonvulsant and anxiolytic effects, as well as alterations in the spontaneous behavior of the animals.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Intracerebroventricular injections of the compounds induced dose-dependent anticonvulsant effects and a potent anxiolytic activity. Regarding behavioral effects, no significant differences were observed in relation to the saline control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The low-molecular-weight compounds of the venom of Polybia paulista include neuroactive peptides that can be used as pharmacological resources for anticonvulsant and anxiolytic drug research.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiological Sciences, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Brasília, Brasília, Brazil.
authors.forename: Lucianna Lopes
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: do Couto
authors.forename: Lilian Carneiro
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Dos Anjos
authors.forename: Maíra de Azevedo Feitosa
authors.initials: Mde A
authors.lastname: Araujo
authors.forename: Cecília Alves
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Mourão
authors.forename: Carlos Aberto
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Schwartz
authors.forename: Luzitano Brandão
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.forename: Márcia Renata
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Mortari
keywords: Anticonvulsant; anxiolytic; behavioral effects; neuroactive compounds; peptides; wasp venom